Museum of Modern Art Acquires the Rainbow Flag

MoMA has a new acquisition that's arguably more at home outside than in. The rainbow flag comes to the museum's department of architecture and design during global celebrations for Pride Month.

A universal symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, the rainbow flag was designed in 1978 by artist Gilbert Baker. The first flags were made by Baker and friends at San Francisco's Gay Community Center, using natural dye, salt, and yards of cotton.

"The rainbow is so perfect because it really fits our diversity in terms of race, gender, ages, all of those things," says Baker. "Plus, it's a natural flag—it's from the sky!"

It was raised for the first time on June 25, 1978 at United Nations Plaza in downtown San Francisco.